

Having a bad head cold is never all that much fun. I even had to skip attending Living Waters this morning, which really stinks. To make matters worse, I was too sick to have a bonfire at my townhouse...and it was going to be HUGE!
I've had the chance to re-read some stuff in Rob Bell's "Love Wins" book, and to do some research. I've come to the conclusion that in chapter 4, titled "Does God get what God Wants?," that he over-reached himself. (This is the most controversial chapter...the one that got all the people who hadn't read the book so worked up.)
In this section, Bell really hopes that everyone will be given a second chance after death to choose or reject God. No, he is NOT a Universalist, because he says that many will still choose to reject God. But the chapter does come off as more of a bit of wishful thinking on Bell's part then solid scholarship. In fact, Bell plays pretty loose with the biblical texts on this one. Also, in trying to use Martin Luther and early church fathers to back him up on this possibility, he ended up taking them out of context.
My conclusion? Bell is wrong on this one. But I do agree with him that there is nothing wrong in wishing for a second chance.
C.S. Lewis and his book "The Great Divorce" were an obvious influence on Bell's thoughts on a second chance. So Lewis is out. I have at least 6 books by him to add to the fire. (I'm not gonna get "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" at Blockbuster either.)
N.T. Wright is mentioned, too. (Evil Anglican!) So anything associated with him has to go. Which means...
All my Lee Strobel videos of the "Case for Christ, for Faith, for a Creator" have to burn. (Bell references them in his video "Everything is Spiritual.") Strobel also uses Greg Boyd, the dirty "Open Theist" in his books for Christian Apologetics, so he REALLY needs to go.
Also, in Bell's video "The gods aren't Angry," he quotes Brennan Manning from the "Ragamuffin Gospel." So all of my Manning books have to go...including anything by Dr. Larry Crabb, because he wrote the forward to Manning's "The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus," which is OK cause I don't think I have anything by Crabb. (Not to worry too much. Manning is semi-catholic, and none of them can be real "Christians," ya know)
Ooo, yeah...Ragamuffin Gospel...No more Rich Mullins for me. He's on the cover, and even named his band after the book. Don't you ever let me catch you singing "Our God is an Awesome God," you little apostate.
Speaking of music, Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant both really liked the book "The Shack." A certain famous pastor in Seattle says that I can't read that book because a work of fiction will distort my view of the Trinity. By extension, any music by Smith or Grant probably will too. So they're out. (Never was a big fan anyway.)
Also, now that I think about it, Donald Miller defended Bell a tiny bit by saying that "No one goes to Hell because they don't believe in it." So that means that I gotta burn all of his stuff too. Which sucks cause I loved "Blue Like Jazz," and was hoping to see the movie.
I would suppose that since Donald Miller attends Imago Dei Community out in Portland, that I have to burn Rick McKinley's "This Beautiful Mess," since he's the main pastor there. (Gotta scrap a lot of podcasts, too.)
What I find to be the most ironic of all of this heretical housecleaning, is that the one guy who's books I would most certainly be allowed to read without losing my faith, I can't. A lot of people have told me to read "Desiring God" by John Piper. I've been meaning to pick up a copy. Piper makes it clear that Bell is beyond the pale of any proper Christianity, and that I should not listen to him. I probably should have listened to Piper first. Unfortunately, I did listen to Bell and he makes it clear to every reader that we should read "Everything that John Piper has ever written." But if I want to stay faithful to to Piper's teachings, then I can't read him.
ouch!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I don't have to agree with everyone on everything.
ReplyDeleteIf I agree with Rob, you, both, or neither isn't the point.
"The discussion is divine."
I dunno Dave. It's possible that you & I may end up on the bonfire too. (I think that we would make some great S'Mores, though.)
ReplyDeleteThere are two versus that I find interesting.
ReplyDeleteHebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
However I do not see this judgment as one meant a fiery hell... but a cleansing judgment.
The other verse or passage is one that I find fascinating.
1 Cor 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
The point is not Universal salvation, but whether one who passes through this cleansing fire will come out the image of Christ Jesus. All that is not of Christ is burned away and for some, not much if anything is burned away. One might be saved but lose all they built for it was not of Jesus. In some sense this seems more hellish than the traditional sense of hell.
Yeah, that verse from Hebrews is the one that sticks with me the most. Which is why I'm strongly inclined to believe that there is no second chance. Obviously, YHWH can do what ever he pleases...so in theory (A slim one at best) it's certainly possible.
ReplyDeleteFor myself, it's pretty clear that Jesus calls all people to not base their hopes on a "Maybe," but to turn around and follow him in the here & now because eternity begins with him. (Roger Olson has an excellent post on this which I'll link to you if it doesn't take on here.) http://rogereolson.com/2011/04/10/more-about-universalism/
I really like your second point from 1st Cor. In many respects it parallels Jesus warning at the end of the sermon on the mount about numerous "Religious" people being shocked that he/Jesus never knew them after all that they had done in his name. They had the correct "Orthodox" language, but their trees produced no true "Fruit of the Spirit." That entire passage worries me a great deal because of what I see as passing for Christianity in America. (Lot's of Talk, not much Fruit.)
I honestly don't know how much of me will be left after that testing fire. So much of my life seems to be wanton selfishness and laziness. I will be more than happy just to be able to tend a simple garden in the New Heaven & Earth.